Phyllis
Nash (third from left), associate vice president for
academic and student affairs, UK Chandler Medical
Center, and co-chair of the UK Work-Life Task Force,
discusses the new policies regarding use of sick leave
for the adoption or birth of a child. Looking on are
(left to right) President Lee T. Todd Jr.; Karen T.
Combs, associate vice president for budget and administration,
UK Chandler Medical Center, and co-chair of the UK
Work-Life Task Force; and T. Lynn Williamson, director,
UK Human Resources.

"One
of our goals at the University of Kentucky is to improve
the balance between work and life of our employees.
This is a great step toward that end. It is a greater
benefit than any our benchmarks provide, and we are
pleased to be able to offer this to our faculty and
staff who give so much to this university."

--
Lee T. Todd Jr.,
president,
University of Kentucky

Lexington,
Ky. (Oct. 28, 2002) -- In a groundbreaking move, University of Kentucky
President Lee T. Todd Jr., took his first step toward
improving the balance between work and life of UK
employees by approving the use of accrued temporary
disability leave (TDL), commonly known as sick leave,
for time off during the adoption of a child. Also,
TDL can now be used more extensively by a father for
the birth or adoption of his child. The policy amendment
is a more generous benefit than any provided by the
university's benchmark institutions.

"One of our goals at the University of Kentucky
is to improve the balance between work and life of
our employees," Todd said. "This is a great
step toward that end. It is a greater benefit than
any our benchmarks provide, and we are pleased to
be able to offer this to our faculty and staff who
give so much to this university."

The revision allows both male and female employees
to use up to a maximum of six weeks (30 working days)
of accrued TDL for the adoption of a child. The previous
policy, which followed the guidelines of the Family
and Medical Leave Act of 1993, stated that any employee
who had been at the university for 12 months and had
worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12-month
period could take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for
one of four possible qualifying events, one of which
was the adoption of a child. The employee could take
any available accrued vacation time for such leave
but was not allowed the use of TDL unless the adopted
child was ill.

"This new policy certainly enhances the University's
climate as a family friendly employer," said
T. Lynn Williamson, director, UK Human Resource Services.
"This new policy is extremely generous for employees
adopting a child as well as for the fathers of children.
It places the university in the forefront of the adoption
and childbirth policies of our benchmark institutions."

UK policy also previously stated that male employees
could take just five days of TDL for the birth of
a child before using accrued vacation leave, but under
FMLA could still have up to a maximum of 12 weeks
unpaid leave. Under the new provision, that amount
is increased to a maximum of six weeks (30 working
days) of accrued TDL to increase the total amount
of time an employee can remain in a paid status.

UK is not the first entity to address this particular
work-life issue. In September, the state of California
enacted a law that allows workers to be paid about
55 percent of their salary for six weeks of leave
for the birth or adoption of a child from a pool of
funds that is funded through employee payroll deductions.

However, UK's policy is more beneficial by not requiring
payment from the employees and providing a means for
receipt of 100 percent of their salary through use
of their accrued TDL.